A typical fiber-optic cable generally includes concentric layers of protective or supporting material with an optical fiber located at the center of the cable. These fiber-optic cables typically have connectors located on each end to connect them to another fiber-optic cable or to a peripheral device. These connectors are high precision devices which position the fiber-optic cable in line with another fiber-optic cable or to a port on a peripheral device.
In order to communicate with a port or another cable, the end face of the connector (including a ferrule and an optical fiber) must typically abut an adjacent cable or port. The finish of the end face of a fiber will typically determine the amount of back reflection at the connection site, thus greatly affecting the ability of the fiber-optic cable to transmit information. The apex offset, protrusion/recession, insertion loss, return loss, and angularity are also integral parameters of a fiber's finish. As such, the end face of a fiber is usually polished to exacting standards so as to produce a finish with minimal back reflection. For example, it is often necessary to polish the end face of the fiber to a precise length, i.e., so the end face projects a predetermined amount from a reference point such as a shoulder on the fiber optic connector within a predetermined tolerance. Fiber-optic cables having multiple optical fibers can also be polished to produce a particular finish.
Optical fiber polishing machines (sometimes referred to herein as “polishers”) typically include a rotating platen and a fixing or mounting mechanism, such as an arm or corner mounts, which positions and supports the optical fibers during the polishing process. Typically, the end face of an optical fiber is lowered onto an abrasive film resting on the platen, and depending upon the film, the speed of the platen, the pressure applied, and its duration, acquires a finish suitable for a particular application.
Optical fiber polishing machines generally include a fixture, coupled to the mounting mechanism, that is capable of holding and gripping one or more optical fibers (e.g., by holding a fiber ferrule or connector) and advancing them under controlled conditions of speed and force to engage a plurality of fiber optic ends into engagement with a polishing member such as a rotatable platen with an abrasive surface or film.